Protein supplements for ruminant feeding stuffs

ABSTRACT

A ruminant feedstuff comprising, as a supplementary source of nitrogen, at least one alkylidene diurea, in particular isobutylidene diurea and crotonylidene diurea; said alkylidene diurea may be admixed with at least one conventional feedstuff.

United States Patent Watchorn et al. 1 Feb. 15, 1972 [54] PROTEINSUPPLEMENTS FOR 1 1 References Cited RUMINANT FEEDING STUFFS v UmEDSTATES Tam [72] inventors: Noel Watehorn, Norton-on-Tees; Arthur2,687,354 8/1954 Gnbbms ..99/2 Macclesfiel? 3,322,523 5/1967 Hamamoto..71/29 1 r 3,219,432 11/1965 Schafer et a1. ..71/28 [73] Assignee:Imperial Chemical Industries Limited,- r

London, England OTHER PUBLICATIONS [221 Film Mar-14,1968 Chemssrasa aoll 1 9 QNfimm 9,M- [2]] App! 767482 Primary Examiner-Norman Yudkofi"Assistant Examiner-Kenweth VanWyck [30] Foreign Application PriorityData Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman Nov. 14, 1967 England ..51,780/67ABSTRACT US. I 99/2 A ruminant feedstufl' comprising, as a supplementarysource [51 Clof nitrogen at least one diurea in particular isobu- [58]Fieldof Search ..99/2, 2 N; 71/27, 29; tylidene mand crotonylidene -eSaid alkylidene 260/256.4, 555 11,555 A, 555 B, 555 C tea may be admixedwith at least one conventional feedstuff.

2 Claims, No Drawings rno'rsm sommmm nummrssnmc This invention relatesto new sourcesof protein to supplement the ,feeding of ruminantia, andto nonprotein nitrogenous feeding stuffs comprising compounds (and compositions containing such compounds) which assist the microflora andmicrofauna of such animals to produce Protein. P

The importance of protein in the nutrition of ruminants has long beenrecognized. Nitrogen-containing substances such as urea which can beconverted to ammonia in the rumen can, in theory, be substituted fornatural protein in the diet of ruminants when natural protein is inshort supply, for example under drought conditions, or expensive in tomsof nitrogen. The utilit of such substances as protein supplements forruminants is restricted to some extent since the rate of ammonianitrogenrelease from the substance in the rumen is not geared to the ratev atwhich the'ammonia can be utilizedfor the synthesis of protein by therumen micro-organisms. When the rate of ammonia release is too great,for example with urea,

the excess ammonia can prove toxic, to the ruminant. Urea must thereforebe fed to ruminants'under carefully controlled conditionsLWhen the rateof ammoniarelease is too slow; for example with urea formaldehyde,nonprotein nitrogen leaves the rumenunchanged and is wasted. l 1

For many years, urea has been used in conjunction with otherfeeding'stuffs such as oilse'edmeals, as a protein supplement forruminants. However in view of the innate limitations of urea as aprotein supplement, much research has been carried out to findalternative sources of nonprotein nitrogen.

We have now found that a very suitable and useful class of compounds forthis purpose are alltylidene diureas having the formula I:

and a typical compound according to formula ll iscrotonylidene diurea(4-ureido-fimethyl-prllydropyrimlain-Lone Compounds according toformulasl and' ll are only slightly soluble and we haveconfirmed; by'q'ualltative analysis, that they are slowly hydrolyzedby the rt't'fnenfluids into urea and a 2 dehyde in the case of isobutylidene diurea, andacetaldehyde or crotonaldehyde in the case of crotonylidene diurea), therate of hydrolysis being sufficiently slow, that the amount of ureapresent at any one moment, as a result of such hydrolysis, issufficiently small so as to be readily converted to ammonia by themicroflora and microfauna, such ammonia being in turn readily convertedto protein. The urea is thus released at a-rate which ensures that it isused-as efficiently as possible and that his never present in suchquantities as to; be toxic.

indeed, we have found that compounds of formula I and formulav ll, inparticular isobutylidene diurea, are neither acutely nor cumulativelytoxic to ruminants, and that they form a useful and effective source ofnonprotein nitrogen for ruminants such as sheep. The lack of toxicity isdue tothe slow rate of hydrolysis by the bacteria; Thus it is possibleto achieve nitrogen retention levels which exceed the demand formaintenance if the compounds of formula I and-formula II are used as asupplementarysource of nitrogen in protein-deficient diets. Furthermore,although the urea resulting from the hydrolysisofthe'compounds does notcontribute to the energy of the diet, the aldehydes simultaneouslyreleased (in particularisobutyraldehydeldo so. I Y

r The compounds of formula I or formula ll may be fedto the animals'assuch,'or they may be mixed with carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, orother conventional feedstuffs.

. The present invention accordingly provides a ruminant feedstuficomprising, as a supplementary source of protein, one or alkylidenediureas of formula I or formula ll.-

The present invention further provides a ruminant feed compositioncomprising one or more conventional feedstuffs and, as a supplementarysource of nitrogen other than protein, one or more alkylidene diureas offormula [or formula ll.

,The invention further provides a method of supplementing the diet ofruminants byfeeding thereto, as a supplementary source of nitrogen otherthan protein, one or more alkylidene 1 diureas of formula I or formulall. I

As stated hereinabove, the preferred compound is isobutylidene diurea. t

v TEXPERIMENT l LAMb, ortowrn TRIALS The'merit of various nonproteinnitrogen products was first assessed by means of a growth trialinvolving30 young lambs.

These were allocated .tofour different treatment groups so Formula III 1Formula IV that'each contained three maleand three female lambs withsimilar meanlive body weights and the same distribution of weight range.Each-treatment group was further subdivided into. three replicates oftwoanimals which wereallocated to individual feeding pens in a randomblock fashion.

The composition of the various-experimental rations is shown in table 1;they were formulated according to the A.R.C. feeding standards so that 1kg. diet would contain sufficient energy and'protein fora daily liveweight gain of approximately 200. g./lamb. Vegetable protein (frommaize) in the basal diet was sufficient for percent of the total proteinrequirement on a total crude protein basis but only 50 percent on thebasis of digestible crude protein. It was therefore calculated that atleast 25 percent of the lambs proteinneeds would have to be met from thesupplementary nitrogen sources.

The various concentrate rations were fed at a rate of l kgJhead/daydivided into three meals. Barley straw (C.P. 4.6 percent) was fed ad liband the animals were bedded on sawdust. Prior to the commencement offeeding the experimental diets, all lambs received an anthelmintictreatment Nilverm) and 10,000 LU. Vitamin A by intramuscular injection.One month later they each received a further 10,000 I. U. Vitamin A andwere vaccinated against Pasteurella (some coughing became apparent).

Live body weights were recorded weekly and food refusals aldehydescontaining two to six carbon atoms (isobutyral- 75 daily.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION tolerated by sheep with no apparent ill effects.

EXPERIMENT III-NITROGEN BALANCE To avoid any confusion as to the sourceof nitrogen being TABLE 1. COMPOSITION OF EXPERIMENTAL LAMB 5 utilized,it was decided that these experiments should be con- DIETS 1ST GROWTHTRIAL) ducted on completely synthetic diets in which the products CrudeCrude propro- Total crude tein tein' protein Metabo- Source of in ofiizable' Supplementary basal supple- Calcu- Analenergy Diet nitrogenration ment leted ysis (eels/lb.)

1 None 6.36 6.36 6.1 1,320 2.. Soyabeanrueal 6% 6.62 12.9 11.9 1, 3203.. Ureatormaldehyde..- 6.26 6.67 12.93 13.5 1,320 4.. 6.24 6.67 12.9111.9 1,320

Calculated All diets supplemented with the necessary minerals (includingsulphur) and vitamins.

under study formed the only nitrogen source. Accordingly, diets composedof starch (60 percent), glucose percent and l perc ent of a mineral,vitamin, nitrogen supplement were TABLE 2.--EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SOURCESOF SUPPLEMENTARY NITROGEN ON LAMP GROWTH Mean initial Mean Gain PercentMean 8 Gain Percent Gain Percent Supplementary lamb week (lbs) conweekObs.) con- (lbs) connitrogen weight weight weeks trols weight weekstrols weeks trols Diet source (lbs (lbs) (2) (lbs.) 4-8 (2) 0-8 (2)Negative control lambs became weak and had to be removed from trial.

6 lambs/treatment.

The lambs receiving diet 1 (containing no supplementary nitrogen) atepoorly, gained very little weight, and eventually became so weak thatthey had to be removed from the experiment. This is taken to indicatethat the basic diet was indeed deficient in protein and that any growthresponse obtained with other diets should represent utilization ofsupplementary nitrogen.

Comparison of lamb performance from 0-4 weeks and 4-8 weeks indicates apossible adaptive response to I.B.D.U. None of these effects reach astatistically significant level, suggesting that on this type of diet,which is very low in the natural protein, adaption to all the productsis probably quite rapid.

Further experiments were carried out, concerned with a formulated togive a concentrate containing approximately 8 percent crude protein. 750g. of these concentrates were supplemented with 150 g. chopped barleystraw (4.6 percent CF.) to form the daily ration for 60-lb. wether lambsin standard nitrogen balance experiments.

A latin square experimental design was used to examine the value of thevarious nitrogen supplements, using six replicates of six sheep for eachnitrogen source. The animals were allowed 10 days to acclimatize to eachdiet before commencing a 6-day balance experiment. The mean nitrogenretentions per sheep over the 6-day experimental period are listedbelow:

Mean

Source of Nitrogen grams nitrogen retention] further examination of theadaption" period likely to be asdim sheep/6 days Flshmeal +4.42 sociatedwith the use of I.B.D.U., from which it emerged that -4 a0 I.B.D.U. doesnot suffer from the need for acclimatization as lsobutylidene diurea+5.74 would have been expected from the results of the previous lambgrowth trial.

EXPERIMENT II-TOXICITY a. Chronic Toxicity All the nonprotein-nitrogencompounds examined were free 1 from toxic effects and palatabilityproblems in the two feeding The data indicate a significant advantage tofishmeal, and I.B.D.U., compared to urea.

We claim:

1. A method of supplementing the diet of ruminants which comprisesfeeding isobutylidene diurea to the ruminants, as a supplementary sourceof nitrogen other than protein.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the isobutylidene diurea is fed inadmixture with a ruminant feedstuff.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,42,4 j f d February 15, 1972 Invenmfls) Noel Watchorn and Arthur WilliamJames Broome v I It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebyeorrected as shown below:

v n .1 In the'heading opposite "Filed"' the date. "March 14, 196 8should read OCtObr l4,l968-.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLI:JTCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSGHALK Attesting Officer ICommissioner of Patents

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the isobutylidene diurea is fed inadmixture with a ruminant feedstuff.